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Abstract

In 1990 the organizations responsible for Finnish dairy breeding and milk marketing established an open nucleus breeding program called ASMO. The aim of the ASMO project is to raise the protein to fat ratio in milk with simultaneously increasing the protein production. Base donors were selected from the Ayrshire population and since 1993 also from the Friesian population in milk recording. A multitrait selection index based on the animal model BLUP evaluation of protein and fat contents and protein yield was used. Selection of base donor cows continued till 1994. Altogether 424 flushings from 278 cows have yielded 1,169 transferable embryos. Pregnancy rates of 60.02 % have been achieved with fresh embryos and of 44.82 % with frozen embryos. The total amount of 487 calves has been born. The estimated genetic merit of the first generation ayrshire calves is this far 13.5 kg for protein yield (from 214 kg in the national breed average to 227 kg) +0.15 % for protein content (3.28 % -» 3.43 %) and -0.12 % for fat content (4.46 % -» 4.34 % ). In 1994 the offspring from 1990 selected animals will have their first six months' lactation records and first AM-BLUP evaluations.